Kung Fu Panda.

Theory: Mr Ping is ancient and helped create the Dragon Warrior

To start with, there's the ancient part:
He is Mr Ping but there is no Mrs Ping and yet he's very proud of the noodle business and how he took over from his father who took over from his father and how he wants his son to take over from him. Except he never had a son.

He never had a partner and never tried for any children, so clearly, he felt no pressure of time.

We already know he really really really wants a child of his to take over from him, he just doesn't need to force the issue because he knows he's got a whole because ✨immortal✨

Or at least a much longer life span than any normal being.

He's also so content with his life in the noodle restaurant, perhaps because he's already had his chance to travel the world, or perhaps because he knows he'll get that chance once he passes the restaurant on.

This goose has no worries.

Almost like he knows exactly what's going to happen in his life and everything's going to plan.

Which leads into the next part:

He helped create the dragon warrior.

He knew Po was the dragon warrior right from the start, making 'secret ingredient soup' his staple dish on purpose, ready for when Po read the scroll.

When Po feels low and defeated after reading the blank scroll, his dad, Mr Ping, first tries to convince him his life is in noodle making, as if testing him. And then when Po slumps back, not interested, Mr Ping takes a breath and speaks softly, clearly more serious this time.

"I think it's time I told you something I should have told you a long time ago"

So he knows it's important. Really important. And that he's had time to say it and that there is no more waiting.

"The secret ingredient of my secret ingredient soup."

"The secret ingredient is nothing."

Po asks if it's plain old noodle soup, asking if he really doesn't add anything to make it special.

"Don't have to. To make something special, you just have to believe it's special."

People might say this is just the creators of the film working in a way for Po to come to the realisation, but it's all because of Mr Ping.

He knew exactly what to say and how to say it, giving Po chance to ask about it's 'special'ness, to give Po the power to become the dragon warrior that he knew he was always going to be.

Now let's look at this scene:

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Direct quotes:

"My son, finally having the noodle dream. You don't know how long I've been waiting for this moment."

Ancient and hints at prophecy ✔️

"This is a sign, Po."
"You are almost ready to be trusted with the secret ingredient of my secret ingredient soup and then you will fulfil your destiny"

Another hint at prophecy ✔️

We've already discussed what the knowledge of the secret ingredient does - he's nearly ready for it because he can feel the time nearing for Po to take the scroll.

Po says "Dad, it was just a dream."

His dad responds "No, it was the dream."

Prophecy ✔️

When Po asks if Mr Ping ever wanted to do anything else, he replies "When I was young and crazy" - granted, he only says he wished to make tofu, but added with the flashback scene we get in the second movie where he is 100% satisfied with his noodle job (which must have been at least 15 shall we say years previous to this scene) we can assume these "crazy" years were even further in the past, when he should have been a child, but instead (since his dad will still have owned the restaurant then) he says he would run away to learn to make tofu, suggesting he was old enough and resourceful enough to live and learn and travel on his own, suggesting he wasn't a child at the time and he's older than we're led to believe.

Granted this piece is a little more loosely attached, so feel free to ignore it if you'd like, but it's still there.

Also, he speeds up his speaking tenfold at the end when he's telling Po the tables, even though it would be nearly impossible for Po to remember the numbers, and the customers are likely okay waiting a couple seconds longer when it's a small restaurant and moving between tables doesn't take long at all.

But he makes sure he speaks incredibly fast anyway, just in time for the gong / clock to sound from the dojo and steal Po's concentration.

Because he knows how important it is that Po hears that and remembers what it is he is destined to do, to awaken that part of his soul more completely.

Then there's this scene:

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Po says he's going to the Jade Palace to see the dragon warrior get chosen and Mr Ping refuses to let him go without taking the noodle cart.

If he hadn't taken the cart, he'd never have struggled so much to get up the stairs at the start, making him reach the top just in time for the doors to close.

So if he'd never taken the cart, he'd never have had to be creative about ways to get inside.

He'd never have entered at the right moment to be chosen himself.

Also, Mr Ping doesn't bother joining the crowds to watch the event. He is happy staying at the restaurant. This is because he already knows exactly what will happen there, so there isn't much point watching.

Lastly, I said he helped create the dragon warrior.

It's common knowledge to anyone who watches the movie that Master Oogway is the best kung fu warrior, and yet he himself is not the dragon warrior.

Why?

Because he has lived longer than the dragon warrior, and helped Mr Ping create the destined warrior who would someday take over from him.

It's no coincidence that Master Oogway chooses the Dragon Warrior just before he gives his life to the universe at the peach tree.

And in case you weren't convinced that Master Oogway and Mr Ping were ancient, Po says they've been waiting for the dragon warrior for "a thousand years"

So there you have it.

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